World News

Celtic Woman Announces Release Of A Christmas Celebration And A Second PBS Special
Published October
12, 2006

Irish legend has it that St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, is buried in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in the ruined Church of St. Nicholas. Why not celebrate Christmas this year, then, with a little Irish flavor? Celtic Woman makes it easy to get in the spirit with their magnificent new CD 'A Christmas Celebration,' 15 soaring tracks of Christmas cheer. Traditional holiday favorites on the disc include "White Christmas," "Carol of The Bells," "Let It Snow," "Little Drummer Boy," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." At select stores for a limited time, the angel-voiced singers will arrive with a real angel: the deluxe edition of the CD comes with a beautiful golden angel Christmas ornament. However, if you really want to get into the sprit, try these other Celtic Christmas traditions:

Light a Candle!A candle in the window was a symbol of welcome to Mary and Joseph as they wandered, looking for shelter. Tradition further had that it should be lit by the youngest member of the household, and could only be extinguished by a girl named Mary.

Leave a Snack!After Christmas dinner, the table was cleared and set again with a pitcher of milk, a candle, and a loaf of bread made with raisins and caraway seeds. The front door would be left open so that Mary and Joseph or any travelers could partake in the food.

Deck The Halls!...With boughs of Holly. Holly was one of the few abundant plants in Ireland in the winter, giving even the poor something with which to decorate their homes. The tradition of placing a ring of Holly on the door originated in Ireland.

Celtic Woman has enthralled U.S. audiences with their record-breaking self-titled debut album, a platinum concert DVD, a PBS special, and four highly successful U.S. tours. Fans will see more of them this winter as their second PBS Special "Celtic Woman: A New Journey Live at Slane Castle" airs nationwide in December, while a new studio CD and live DVD are set to follow in January.